The Wanderings Of A Blind Man
by CornFielder
Summary: While walking on an open road, a blind man meets a young fellow named Sasuke. Sensing the other's trouble, he gives the missing-nin a 'blessing' that is supposed to help him...genre/characters will make more sense with later chapters.
1. Chance?

AN: Okay, this is my first story on here, and it's a total shot in the dark for me. I will not claim that I am fully inundated in the world of Naruto, but I have read a moderate part of the manga and I do know the basic storyline, so I though I'd take a stab at writing a story. It may not be very good, and I think that some of the characters go OOC, but…I tried. Please review and let me know what I can do better.

As of right now, I have the whole story written in a first draft, but I am more than open to suggestions and can still make changes. I plan on updating the story every time I get five reviews or three weeks pass, whichever comes first.

Disclaimer: I am not Kishimoto Masashi, and as such I do not own any of the characters or other ideas contained herein. I can only lay claim to Nashi (my OC) and this plot.

Thanks for reading everyone, I hope you enjoy it. —CF

* * *

Chapter 1: Chance?

A blind man walking alone on a road in the middle of nowhere tends to feel _very_ alone, let me assure you. He will have no one to talk to, and no easy distractions, except the chirping of birds and the chattering of rodents.

Those don't distract for long.

So, let me tell you that, on this particular day, I was relieved to hear footsteps ahead of my. Quickening my pace, I approached the individual—it was certainly one person, not enough noise to be more—from behind.

"Za, good day, stranger! How is the road treating you?" The other traveler only made a small grunting noise and continued walking. "Oh, come now! Is that any way to treat a blind man? Surely your voice works."

"What do you want, old man? I don't have the time to dawdle."

"Believe me; I'm not as old as you want to think. I'm not asking you to crawl along; I can walk at your pace. I simply want another human voice for a while; is that too much to ask?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"I have no hidden intentions; I have already said what I want. Will you spare a few breaths, and talk to a lonely wanderer?"

He sighed, and there was silence for a little while. "If you want to talk, talk. I'm not going to tell you my life's story."

"Fair enough," I sighed, taking what opening I could get. "I am a blind man called Nashi, and I spend nearly all of my time wandering from one place to the next, hoping to find a kind hand, a friendly voice, and some hearty food. I wasn't born blind, but I overused a dōjustu, eradicating my sight and all memories of what sight was like.

"I was born an outcast in my own tribe, a man of mixed clans from two different hidden villages. Because of this, I am known as Nashi of the many tribes.

"What about you, whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"I am Sasuke, and I too am a wanderer. I do not stay long, for no one seems to want me. I abandoned my home long ago in a search for power, and I continue on today, partly wanting to continue and partly wanting home.

"My whole clan is dead; I am the last one left. It had once been my dream to keep the clan alive, but that does not seem feasible now. No woman would be willing to help me sire children. After learning of my village's crimes against my clan, I have sworn revenge on all of them.

I nodded, understanding. Pondering the peculiar voice that emanated from his throat, I posed a daring question, slightly afraid of how he would react.

"I must admit, there's a distinctive trait in your voice, though I could be mistaken. Tell me, if you will what clan you belong to."

"I am an Uchiha."

I was pleased to hear this. "Uchiha, indeed. As I said, I am the child of multiple clans—one of these is the one called Uchiha. It seems, then, that you and I are cousins of some sort."

He gave another snort, obviously disbelieving.

"I can tell that you doubt me. Come, look into my eyes. They will agree with me." I pulled my eyelids open, revealing the leftovers of my curse. I felt him lean in to get a closer look, then pull back and start to walk again.

"I see. Those are obviously Sharingan. You say that you lost your sight because you overused them?"

"That, and all memory of sight; it's really an unfortunate thing. Be careful with yours; don't end up like I have."

He grunted again. "Perhaps something is wrong?" I ask this, not expecting much. I am not disappointed.

"Well," I say, hoping to undo the awkward silence that had overcome us. "I have a peculiar favor to ask—would you answer a few questions for me?"

"That would depend on the questions."

I guessed, from that answer, that he would agree. I began to work works that would make him unable to lie. "I'll ask you three questions about people in your lives. You can answer anyone. It'll be no one I know, and you only need to give me personal names. Okay?"

"Fine."

"Good. First question: if you could have any one person beside you right now as a friend and ally, someone who would fight alongside you, a person now living or dead, whether or not you ever knew the person—if you could have this—who would it be? For me, I have to say my sensei, who first trained me and two others as genin.

He paused for a moment, and then let one word slip from between his lips. "Naruto."

Second: out of everyone you've ever known, who do you miss the most? For me…it is my wife."

Again, he took a few moments to speak. "Naruto."

"Finally, think about some of your happiest memories. Who is in the most of them? My wife is my answer, again."

I was more than a little surprised at the following answer. "Naruto."

He had just answered the same person to all three questions, a thing that supposedly would only happen when the person answering the questions cared about the answer-person more than anyone or anything else. This was a rare thing indeed, so I decided to probe gently. Taking down

"This Naruto, he is important to you? It's not too often that someone says the same name all three times; even I cannot do that. Why is he so important?"

"After my clan was killed, I was alone for a long time. When we were put on a team together, he and I were constant rivals, always competing to outdo the other, but I could tell that he genuinely cared about me. He is an excellent fighter and would be an invaluable asset to me. However, our loyalties separate us."

"I see," I said, realizing that there was tension growing between us and that I needed to end things quickly. I moved a little closer to my temporary companion, and put my hand on his shoulder, uttering the words to a blessing that I thought would help him.

"What did you say?"

"It's just a little blessing that I picked up in my hometown. It is said to bring good luck and success in your endeavors." I disliked lying, but I was afraid of what he might do if I had told him the truth.

"Well, thank you, Nashi. We have come to a fork in the road—where are you going?"

"Which fork do you plan to take, my child?"

"The one to the Land of Earth."

"No, I am headed away from there. I bid you journey and be well. Before we leave…could you direct me on my path?" I felt his hand on my shoulder, turning me to face a certain direction.

"That's where you're going."

"Thank you, Sasuke. May you always be met with success!" I waved to him.

"Yeah…the same to you, Nashi."

Once I knew that he was far enough away to not hear me, I began to talk to myself about the encounter. They were only random pieces of thought, and not really strung together, but they helped pass the time.

"A missing-nin who was kind enough to let me talk to him for a while—that must be a rare thing!"

"I'm still amazed that he answered with the same name all three times. He must really care about 'Naruto,' even if he has turned them into enemies. I'd like to meet that other fellow now, just to see what's so important to him."

"It's funny; he's an Uchiha, but I didn't feel a connection to him like I hoped that I would. He may be kin, but I wouldn't call him family."

"I hope that my blessing helps him for the better. Sometimes, though, the weak memories that it brings up aren't enough; he may need a more powerful one."

I continued in this vein until I could feel the night's chill in the air. Finding a thick spot of trees hidden off the path, I hid myself, caught a rabbit for dinner, ate, and slept.


	2. Run In With Fate

AN: Okay, I know that I said three weeks, but I decided that I just couldn't wait. Thanks so much to my reviewers and subscribers; it means a lot to me that you take the time to be kind.

Again, I hope that this is a well-written chapter; please tell me what you think! Really this time, it's going to be ten days or five new reviews until I put up Chapter Three. And, for those of you who are interested in knowing, I plan on making this story five chapters long.

Disclaimer: I am not Kishimoto Masashi, and as such I do not own any of the characters or other ideas contained herein. I can only lay claim to Nashi (my OC) and this plot.

Thanks for reading everyone, I hope you enjoy it. —CF

Chapter 2: Run-In With Fate

Another day. Time continued to pass painfully slowly, but I managed somehow. It had been about four days since I departed from the last village, which again left my search fruitless. Oh, how I longed for someone to call one of my own!

On this particular day, I came up behind a group of people—two or three, by the sounds of the footsteps—who were talking quietly, as if wary of something. I was nearing them just as I approached the crest of a hill. Suddenly, the footsteps and the voices stopped; it seemed as if one of them suspected danger. There was a sudden rushing noise, which I recognized as that of a flying shuriken. I realized at the last possible moment that it was headed for my face, and lifted my hand to catch it. Sure enough, my fingers hooked around a small metal object with four points.

I calmly held it in my hand and walked up to the people I now knew were high-strung shinobi, likely to have recently been involved in the wrong side of an ambush. When I thought I was close to them, I opened my hand, offering the shuriken, and said, "Is it really that bad out there that you start randomly attacking blind men with no weapons?"

"Heh…sorry." It was a young man's voice; from what I could tell, he was about fifteen, and a joker. It seemed that he would be pleasant when he wasn't on edge.

"Naruto! The poor man barely escaped with his life! You could have killed him! What's the matter with you!?" It was a girl about the same age as the first voice. She was obviously rather annoyed at him; it seemed to be a frequent type of thing with him.

"Za, take it! I can't use these things so easily anymore. And, since you were so kind as to attack me, I'll be traveling with you for a distance."

A new voice spoke here. "Are you sure about that? You might get almost-killed again…I think one close experience is enough for one day; don't you?" He was familiar.

"H'm…za, I'm not afraid. You there, young lady." I gestured at her with my walking stick. "What's your name, milady?"

"Sakura."

I gave a slight bow. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Sakura my child. I am known as Nashi of the many tribes, but everyone just calls me Nashi. Now, I believe that I have already been introduced to Naruto here," I gestured in his general direction, faking a respectful bow, "And I believe that the sensei is the one that I remember as Sharingan Hatake. Am I wrong?"

"I'll give you partial credit, I am called Kakashi of the Sharingan eye, but my clan is Hatake…where do I know you from, Nashi?"

"It must be almost twenty years ago now, my child; you and a number of Leaf shinobi came to help my village fend off some of our mutual enemies. You were there when I pushed myself too far with these," I said as I put fingers on my eyelids, "If I remember correctly."

"Yes, I remember now. It's too bad. There's no cure…?"

"No, my child, there never will be. Still, I have become used to it. Now, there's no point in just standing around, is there? Let's continue on our journey!" I could hear a grumbling that I could only assume was Naruto as I assumed the lead of the little troop. After a few moments of relative silence, I pulled back a little and spoke to him.

"You know, Naruto my child, I'm not _actually_ mad at you. If you've been having a rough time with enemy shinobi, you have every right to be on the constant watch for danger. Don't be afraid to be a bit rough with potential attackers."

"How did you know it was me just now, and not Sakura or Kakashi-sensei?"

"You were the only one in a condition to be grumbling about something."

"Oh…"

"So, Naruto, tell me a bit about you. As much as you are tightly wound, I'd like to think that there's a person behind all that."

"Well, there's not much that you need to know, except that I'm going to be the next Hokage."

I chuckled at his confidence. "Za, is that so? It's a big goal to reach for, believe me. I'm not saying that you can't do it, just that you have to put in more work than you think, even if you have been training for all your life."

"I know that! Everyone tells me that."

"Za, yes," I took one of his hands in between mine and pressed slightly, hoping to invoke a blessing I had placed on myself some time ago. "I see good things in your future, although I couldn't tell you exactly what. Soon—within less than a month—a fond wish of yours shall be granted. It may not be the foremost matter on your mind, but it will make itself understood, once you get there."

"Umm…okay? Thanks, I guess."

"Don't doubt me, young one. There's merit to that kind of fortune-telling. I've never known it to fail once."

"Where did you learn it?"

"Back in my homeland, a former hidden village that has been since destroyed. If we get to that sort of a point in the conversation, I shall tell you about it."

He and I talked for a little longer, and then I moved on to Sakura. It surprised me to learn that someone who sounded like her was a medic-nin; I expected a person like her to be a powerful fighter.

Soon enough, Hatake spoke again. "Be on the lookout for a clearing. We're spending the night out here."

Not asking any questions, the two young shinobi began to dash in and out of the woods lining the path, which gave me a chance to talk with the sensei a little; after about fifteen minutes, Naruto's voice called the rest of us over to a small, secluded area of the woods—judging from the thick foliage we had to pass through to get to it—and although it was a bit crowded there was enough room for all four of us to sit around a small fire. Once it was roaring, Naruto commented on his hunger, so I asked him to loan me a kunai.

"What do you need it for?"

"Just give me one! I'm not going to attack you. You'll get it back; don't worry about that."

He handed me a knife, and I began to slowly pace around the edge of our glen. Hearing the right kind of noise, I threw the knife and noticed the squelching sound I had been expecting.

"Naruto, your kunai is currently wedged in the side of a moderately-sized deer about ten paces in that direction. Bring the beast back, would you?"

"How…?"

"Just go get it." Sure enough, he dragged back a deer with enough meat to feed all four of us, as I began to flay it with a knife of my own as Naruto prodded me with questions.

"How did you know the deer was there?"

"I heard the rustling in the woods."

"Yeah, but how did you know it was a _deer_? It might have been a rabbit."

"Za; listen kid, if you had been blind for as long as I have, you would have learned to rely on your other senses like I can. I knew that it was just about the right size to be a deer, but sometimes people are that size, so I threw it with the right amount of strength to kill a deer but only cut a person."

There was a considerable pause. "How did you know how much it would take?"

"I was a shinobi like you, once."

"They let blind people become shinobi?"

"I wasn't born blind. I stopped wearing the hitae-ate when I lost my vision. That didn't mean I lost my knowledge, though."

"When did you lose your sight? Do you miss it?"

"I was damaged so badly that I don't even remember what sight is. There's no point in trying to describe it, trust me," I said, expecting him to start doing so. As I began to dig into the food and hear the others do the same, I continued. "And as to losing it…it was in a battle that had me defending my home. We were attacked by enemy shinobi, and although we had help, we were crushed. I overused a dōjustu I had control of, and it drove me blind."

"But…where _is_ this 'home' of yours? You haven't told us where it is yet!"

"Patience, my child. I will get to that…"

"Why do you call us that? 'My child'? How do you get off thinking we're children?!" Naruto had interrupted rather loudly this time, so I decided I needed to answer this time.

"Za, all right. Well, it goes like this. I was born into a family in a hidden village that has since been destroyed. While I was still there, I was married to a woman, about my age, whom I had known since we were infants. We had two children together, a boy and a girl.

"Well, shortly after the older of the two hit seven years, our village was attacked by shinobi much more powerful than our own. We held them off as a messenger was sent to recruit help from another hidden village we were allied with. That was the Konoha, unless I'm mistaken—the particular battle that I have in mind was the one in which I met your sensei. Anyway, when it was obvious to me that we couldn't win, I had two less-experienced shinobi go to my family—one to my wife and children, and the other to my parents and sister—and told them to evacuate the families immediately, and have them conceal themselves in other hidden villages.

"I was foolish enough not to specify which villages, though. I never heard from them again—any of them. My children must be fully grown by now. I've been to every hidden village that I could find as I wandered this land, but I never found them. Since then, I just started calling people 'my child.' It was a way of dissipating my grief at the loss, I guess.

"So, this brings me to a few questions I'd like to ask you, if you all don't mind." I stopped for a moment, and uttered another blessing under my breath.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. Just a little safeguard, used to help you learn a bit about each other. You can refuse to answer any question, but if you do choose to answer, you will find yourself unable to lie. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," I heard Sakura say, so I continued.

"Alright, here's what's going to happen: I'll ask you three questions about people in your lives. You can answer anyone _except_ someone sitting here with us now. Okay? Good. First question: if you could have any one person beside you right now as a friend and ally, someone who would fight alongside you, a person now living or dead, whether or not you ever knew the person—if you could have this—who would it be? Personally…I have to say my sensei, who first trained me and two others as genin. What about you? I don't need details, but a name is a good thing."

There was silence, as if no one wanted to speak. Soon, I heard a quiet voice say something timidly from my right, but the word was lost.

"Speak up, Naruto. No one can hear you." Sakura slapped him as she said this.

"Ow! Sakura…" He mumbled again, but I caught it this time.

"Sasuke…" I was surprised at recognizing the name of the young man I had met about a week ago while on the road. The names matched…could they have known each other?

"He said, 'Sasuke,'" I stated, already prepared to move on. "Second question: out of everyone you've ever known, whom—not among those with you now—do you miss the most? For me, it is my wife."

There was another pause, broken by the kunoichi's voice. "As sentimental as it sounds—my parents."

Naruto spoke again, still so that only I could hear it. "Sasuke."

"Naruto gives the same answer as the one from the first question. Interesting…Okay, third question: Think about some of your happiest memories. Who is in the most of them? Mine—although I have few, I will admit—are of my wife."

The sensei was the first to speak this time. "Obito." I recognized the name of his former teammate; we had spoken when he helped my village.

Sakura followed with her answer almost immediately. "Ino"

Naruto was reluctant to answer, but eventually the answer came out.

"Sasuke."

Hatake spoke here, surprise resounding in his voice. "The same answer all three times, Naruto? I'm surprised; you don't see that very often with this test."

"No indeed," I consented as I took down the truth-blessing. "It's funny, but I met a young man earlier this week, and he, too, gave three of the same answer…say, Naruto, who is this Sasuke that he's so important to you?"

"He was a teammate of ours, when we first graduated the ninja academy," Sakura told me when Naruto started making a peculiar noise that suggested to me that he was rather uncomfortable with the topic. "After a while, he left Konoha to join with a wicked man who promised him power—he became a missing-nin, and has been elusive ever since. He's a criminal, but…it would be nice to have him back."

"I see," I said, not caring about the irony anymore. The coincidences between this story and the information I had gleaned from the previous young man were starting to get a bit too thick for my liking. "Naruto…"

There was a moment's silence as the ninja collected his thoughts. He then sniffled a little and spoke.

"Yeah?"

"If I told you that I had a method to get Sasuke to be your ally again—for him to completely forget his current life and be your _friend_ again—what would you think?"

There was another silence, in which I could feel the young ninja slide closer to me. "I'm listening."

I smiled a little, sure that he was doubtful. "Za: you see, there are things in this world that are limited to knowledge by a certain few people. Jutsu, to be sure, fit in this category, but there are many ninja about our world. People like me, however—people of a skill set that earns them the name _whisperers_—are much rarer, to the point that I may be the last one alive. That safeguard, the truth-telling one from earlier, was such a thing—a _blessing_, we call it. It is a type of non-jutsu skill that is only handed to a select few. Rather than being controlled by gestures, by the body, blessings are controlled by words. They are akin to prayers, it that certain sets of words are said to do certain things."

"So, if you were to teach someone these words, could you pass on the blessings to that person?"

"Za, I wish it was that easy! The thing with blessings is they use a specific language to control things. The people who spoke this language openly—those of my homeland—were the ones who, over many years, developed the blessings. There is one major problem, however—this language has a very unusual structure, to the point where it doesn't seem to follow any patterns. Few people have the patience to learn it, and even then, they have a hard time mastering the subtleties that are required for complete control of blessings. In fact, it is said that the people of my tribe have an innate knowledge of this language. They say that this knowledge is necessary to use the blessings.

"Interestingly enough, I have a feeling that someone here has this knowledge. So, I have another question, a bit less probing this time. Is there anyone to whom the language we are speaking does not seem natural? That is, do you feel that the definition doesn't match the word?"

I had to wait only an instant before the voice I expected spoke up. "Yeah, I feel that way. Is that weird?"

"Not at all, Naruto. Just, if you could, answer a few questions for me." I grabbed a handful of dirt in my fist and turned my hand over, revealing it to the boy. "What, do you think, is the proper name for this?"

"Tashmévseh." There had been almost no pause before he spoke. Returning the dirt to where it belonged, I waved my hand through the fire and used a simple blessing to hold a small tongue of it in my hand. "What of this, Naruto?"

"Bèlikotraumálnelech," he replied in a heartbeat, his voice steady and confident. I could hear Sakura shifting her position, not really caring about the conversation at hand.

Replacing the tongue in my hand to the main flame, I continued my line of questioning. "Okay, a hard one: what do you make of the little word that I use all of the time, 'za'?"

"It means 'well,' like we sometimes use when we start to talk."

I then took a stick and drew a small spiral in the dirt, closing it off at the outside edge. "What would you call this shape?"

"I would give it the name 'm.' That's it. 'M.' No more."

"Interesting…you know, Naruto, I have given that little test of my native language to many people over the past twenty or so years. In all those times, everyone got them all wrong, except one person, who got every one of them right."

"Who was that?"

I gave a soft chuckle before I answered. "You."

There was silence about the camp, as this information sank in.

"Me."

"Yes. Correct on all four counts. There's no question about it, you're from my homeland—at least partially. Where do you trace your ancestry?"

"Well, my dad always lived in Konoha, but my mom was supposedly from a little country called the Land of the Whirlpool."

"Za; that was indeed the Whirlpool language that we just discussed, Naruto. It seems that you are one of my countrymen." I chuckled at this.

"It's funny; I've always been raised as 'Nashi of the many tribes,' and I go off calling someone my countryman…I don't even _have_ a country…just a mother, a stepfather, and a half-sister. Oh, how I long for them! I wish I could hear their kind voices again…especially that of Kushina…dear, sweet Kushina, where could you have gone?" Thoroughly lost in my reminiscence, I nearly forgot that I was in the company of three shinobi.

"Kushina…" It was the sensei. I could tell from the particular noise coming from my immediate right that the name meant something to Naruto. "Nashi, remind me of which tribe you belonged to, among the whirlpool."

"At home, I belonged to the household of a clan that had been given the name Uzumaki."

A loud squeal at my shoulder told me that this meant something to Naruto. He spoke, but his voice was weak. "You said that you had your sister sent away during the war, and she went to a hidden village, right?"

"I did."

"My mother's name was Kushina Uzumaki, and I am called Naruto Uzumaki."

I paused, reeling at this information. Family!


	3. A Plan

AN: Thanks so much again to my reviewers and subscribers; it means a lot to me that you take the time to be kind.

Again, I hope that this is a well-written chapter; please tell me what you think! It's going to be ten days or five new reviews again until I put up Chapter Four. And, for those of you who are interested in knowing, I plan on making this story five chapters long.

Disclaimer: I am not Kishimoto Masashi, and as such I do not own any of the characters or other ideas contained herein. I can only lay claim to Nashi (my OC) and this plot.

Thanks for reading everyone, I hope you enjoy it. —CF

Chapter 3: A Plan

"Za, that makes you my nephew, then…" I took his hand in mine and shook it firmly. "It's good to finally meet someone that I can call family, after wandering in the world, alone, for all this time."

"It's good to have someone that I can call family…" Naruto sounded depressed at this; I knew I had struck a sensitive chord. "I never knew either one of my parents. I was alone all my life—my shinobi team is the closest thing to a family I have ever had." I didn't have anything to say, but I simply let go of Naruto's hand and slid closer to him. There was a moment of silence, in which Naruto's breathing became heavier. I could tell that he was trying to distract himself from negative memories.

"So…what does all of this have to do with getting Sasuke back with us?" The young girl was not being selfish here, I could tell; she also knew that Naruto wanted a change of subject.

"Za, yes, thank you for getting me back on track, Sakura. Believe me, it may take a while, but we'll get to him soon. Now that I've explained the nature of blessings in general, I can go into the one that I have in mind. It pulls from a thing that we know as Memory.

"It may seem like a simple topic, but that is not so. It is usually considered to be a single entity of the human body, an individual piece of the mind, but the Whirlpool tribe recognized three pieces that make up Memory.

"Body Memory records experiences of the senses: sight, taste, touch, smell, and sound. If I asked you to describe your favorite food to me, you would be pulling the memory of the food—its taste and texture, particularly—from your Body Memory.

"Mind Memory stored information, logic, stories, language, and the like. If I were to ask you about your first day as shinobi, you would tell me the whole story, in the order that everything happened, as a result of your Mind Memory recording everything as it happened, in order.

"Then…there is Soul Memory. It is a highly controversial topic; many have believed that it was merely a part of Mind Memory…I say that such people are fools. Emotions, the blessed contents of Soul Memory, are not the same as the experiences, the reason, which Mind Memory holds! Emotions are a different field altogether…If I was to ask you about your first kiss, or—well, this is a special case for Naruto, but—about the first time you really felt _welcome_ somewhere—like on a shinobi team—that would pull on your Soul Memory.

"Za, these Memories are imperfect. As I am sure you know, information can fade away after a while. Also, there can be damage to the system."

"Damage?" Both young shinobi spoke at the same time, concern in their voices.

"Yes. Certain things—traumatic experiences, blows to the head, jutsu gone badly…I believe that I mentioned that I went blind due to the abuse of a dōjustu. Well, I had gone so far with it that my Body Memory was damaged because of it. I can no longer remember what sight even means—I have no recall of any experiences that the sense ever gave me."

"That must be awful!"

"It has more downsides than benefits, I admit.

"Anyway, every experience yields information to all three Memories. Often it is more to one than the other two, but it still gives to all three.

"Za, the blessing that I have in mind for your friend Sasuke pulls on this. It is intended to flood him with memories akin to one that is triggered by repetition. Basically, somehow or another he has to have a powerful memory reenacted, one that is strong for him in at least two, if not all three, of the Memories.

"Za, it is an interesting coincidence that, earlier this week, I met a young man who claimed the name Sasuke Uchiha. After speaking with him, I decided that he needed to be reminded of his past, so I gave him a weak blessing that would help bring forward memories that he tried to repress. If this is indeed your Sasuke, I could strengthen the blessing so that it could manipulate stronger memories."

"That's my Sasuke, all right," Naruto said, audibly happier than he had been before. What do we have to do?

"Za, there are two things. First, I need to be present so I can strengthen the blessing. Otherwise, it will not be strong enough to push him out from where he is now. Second, you need to find some way to reenact an ever-powerful memory that will push him just far enough over the edge to revert him to the person you once knew. Keep it in mind that it needs to be a powerful memory for _him_, not necessarily one powerful for _you_ that involves him. I don't suppose that either one of you has something at the top of your heads…?"

Sakura made a small noise that implied she had nothing, but Naruto nearly leaped off the ground, all but knocking me over. "I've got it!"

"Za! Don't go getting too excited about all this, Naruto. Can you redo that moment on your own?"

"Sure. It was just him and me, anyway."

"Za, above all else, don't go spreading your idea around! It may wear out the idea, and news travels so fast that it may eventually reach Sasuke's ears, and he'll know what to try to avoid. Stay calm, za!"

He was now happy, but he yawned loudly. "I'm too sleepy to be excited now…" He lay on the ground, near where he had been sitting earlier. Within seconds, his breathing had slowed to that of a sleeping person. Sakura followed suit, but I pulled Hatake into the woods a short distance for a private word before he had a chance to lie down.

"Sharingan, what do you think of that boy?"

"Sasuke? He was a good student and a highly skilled ninja, but…"

I cut him off. "Naruto. What of _him_?"

"Naruto is one of the most determined people I've ever met. He has this goal—"

"To be Hokage one day, he told me that. What of him as a person, as a ninja?"

"He puts a lot of work into it, all the time. Although he's known for being a prankster, that side of him has subsided and a serious side has surfaced. He has become one of the most dedicated fighters that there is. My only concerns lie in that jinchūriki are prone to intermittent…lapses."

"He's a Host?"

"To the Nine-tailed Fox. It's been within him since just after he was born. Still, he uses the beast's charka, and I'm afraid that a strain like the one from that blessing may make the fox too strong, and it could take him over."

"Actually…that changes things, and not necessarily as badly as you want to think. I believe you know about the price of this blessing?"

"That I do, and it's why I'm worried about all of this. I'll be honest; I don't want any of the options to have to be paid."

"I know, but…there was something about Hosts in the lesson about the blessing I put on Sasuke…how did it go again?" I took a moment to recall the rhyme that I had committed to my memory so long ago, barely grasping it any more. I muttered it a few times, changing words until it sounded right. "If my memory serves, and I give you no guarantees, the demon will suffice. But _only_ under the conditions that would normally take the pawn. Otherwise…"

"Things go as planned; I understand."

"Yes. You know, it's peculiar…tonight, Naruto answered 'Sasuke' to all three questions…and when I met your Sasuke a few days ago, I tested him similarly, and his replies were all 'Naruto.'"

There was a silence as Hatake reeled, seemingly in shock. "But…that's not supposed to be able to be possible! They shouldn't…"

"Za, I know the absurdity of it, Sharingan, but there's nothing that anyone can do. Still, that gives me good feelings about how this will turn out. The price will not be too harsh, if the blessing succeeds. It should all go smoothly."

"I hope you're right. I wouldn't want anything to go badly…it would be a horrible thing."

"Za. Well, that's all. I intend to sleep now. Sleep well, Sharingan."

"The same." After he gave his vague dismissal, I heard him take out a book and begin reading. I thought of the perverted book he had had with him when we first met, so I doused the fire with dirt, making it much harder for him to read. Smiling to myself, I lay on the ground and slept.


	4. What Price?

AN: Thanks so much again to my reviewers and subscribers; it means a lot to me that you take the time to be kind.

Again, I hope that this is a well-written chapter; please tell me what you think! It's going to be ten days or five new reviews again until I put up Chapter Five, which will be the last chapter.

Disclaimer: I am not Kishimoto Masashi, and as such I do not own any of the characters or other ideas contained herein. I can only lay claim to Nashi (my OC) and this plot.

Thanks for reading everyone, I hope you enjoy it. —CF

* * *

Chapter 4: What Price?

The next day, the trip to Konoha took until mid-afternoon; after the shinobi finished the official work for the mission they had just completed I joined them for a light meal and accompanied Naruto to his apartment, where we had agreed that I would stay. I could tell immediately upon walking in that he had lived alone for most of his life, and that he was used to it.

"Um…do you mind sleeping on a mat on the floor? I don't have another bed…"

"Za, I've slept on dirt for the better part of the last twenty years. Believe me, a mat on a floor will be a nice break." I paused, awkward in what I was about to request. "If I could ask a weird favor of you…could you lead me around the walls of the place, so I can learn where everything is? If things go like Sharingan said, I might be here for a while…"

I could practically hear him smiling. "Sure!" We then took a slow tour around his quarters as I learned every inch of the place. Soon enough, I could get around the small residence without Naruto guiding me.

That evening, as we were getting to bed, I had an idea. "Za, Naruto…how about tomorrow I start teaching you about blessings? You never know when something like that could come in handy."

He was very happy again, I could tell. "I hoped you would ask that! I want to learn about the people from my mother's homeland."

"Good, I look forward to being able to pass on this knowledge. It is something that I have wanted to do my whole life." With that, I concluded the brief discussion, and we slept.

The next day, after Naruto was finished training with Hatake and the rest of his team (which included a young man named Sai, whom I was yet to meet), the other Uzumaki found me wandering about Konoha, and we adjourned to his home. There, I began teaching him the words to one of the most basic blessings that I knew, the truth one from two evenings prior. He picked it up quickly, which I took as a good sign. We worked through some more blessings that called for lengthier passages of poetry, but every one that he could remember the text to, he could pronounce and understand perfectly, executing all with precision.

Surprised at my new pupil's swift development, I decided to be done for the day. "Practice, if you can. I'm going to test you tomorrow evening."

The next two weeks passed slowly; Naruto and the others never had to go far away on a mission, and were never back later than the next day. He progressed swiftly in his knowledge of blessings, and was even able to give himself the same fortune-telling blessing that I had used on him just after we first met. It was just after he had done this that the door to his apartment burst open and Sakura's voice poured through the doors.

"Someone just reported seeing Sasuke headed toward Konoha! Naruto, get out here _now_!" She flew back out, going to meet the former friend.

I grabbed Naruto's arm before he could leave. "Za, do you still have a memory in mind, one that you can use to trigger that blessing?"

"Yeah," he said, a mellow happiness in his voice.

"Good. When we get out there, I need you to fight him alone. If you can, give me a minute or two before you go through with it, so I can strengthen the current blessing. After that, he's all yours."

We left without another moment of hesitation, and quickly caught up to the others. Somehow, the news had been controlled, and only Sasuke's former teammates and sensei were there. As the newcomer approached, I pulled Sakura into the bushes with me, and signaled for Hatake to hide likewise.

"Sakura, I'm going to ask for your help with this blessing, okay? When Sasuke gets here, I'm going to put the stronger one on him, then grab your shoulder. If all goes as planned, he should seem to be glowing when I touch you. Got it?"

"Yes."

"Good." We didn't have to wait long before I could hear another set of footsteps approaching Konoha. He spoke in a voice that I recognized from my earlier run-in.

"Well, if it isn't Naruto." As they had an awkwardly polite conversation that I could tell was leading up to a devastating fight, I began to work my words. When I had recited everything that I could remember of it, I put my hand on the kunoichi's shoulder.

"Oh! He's turned blue."

"Shh! Keep your voice down. That's good, blue. At least, I think it is…" They started fighting, and I heard several impacts in the following pause. "Sakura, I need to tell you something very important, so that it doesn't come as a surprise, okay?"

"You're frightening me, Nashi. What's wrong?"

"You see, this blessing…in order for it to be as strong as it is, it needs a price."

"A price?"

"Exactly…you see; there are three people involved in this scenario. I am the _Whisperer_, or the _Blesser_. I created the blessing and I am responsible for its placement. Sasuke is the _Blessed_ or the _Blest One_. I placed the blessing on him. Naruto, last but not least, is the _Pawn_. He is responsible for activating the blessing. With this particular blessing, one of the Whisperer, the Blessed, and the Pawn is always the price of the effect."

"What does it mean, _price_, though?"

I paused, listening to the continuing battle. The two young men seemed to be evenly matched; Naruto must not have had a chance to activate the blessing yet.

Heaving a sigh, I continued. "Za: the price for the vast, instant redirecting of a human mind is steep—a human life."

Sakura gasped at this, but I continued.

"There are four ways that this battle, and Naruto's attempt, could go. First is ineffectiveness. If he is wrong about the memory he plans on using, if it is not as powerful to Sasuke as Naruto thinks it is, then nothing will happen. Second is a Blessed-negative result. If the memory is powerful to Sasuke, but it is extremely negative for him, he is most likely to be the price. Third, there is a Pawn-negative result. If the memory is strong in Sasuke's mind, and it is a positive memory for him but a negative one for Naruto, that is, good for the Blessed and bad for the Pawn, Naruto is the probable price. That leaves a double-positive result, which is sometimes improperly called a Whisperer-negative result. If the memory is strong, and it is good for both boys, I am the one to bear the burden."

"Nashi…"

"Don't waste your breath trying to change my mind. Since Naruto has a demon hosted inside his body, I doubt that he will be harmed—should he be the intended price, I believe that Nine-Tails will be taken instead. "

"But Nashi…that still leaves you and Sasuke in danger. What…"

"Well, don't worry for my sake, dear. I'm a wanderer who has nothing. I have no one to miss me when I'm gone, except perhaps you, Naruto, and Sharingan. I doubt that I'll be sorely missed."

I put my hand up to silence her here. "And Sasuke…based on what I could guess from Naruto's behavior, he wouldn't want to hurt Sasuke any more than he has to, so he would choose a memory that he believes will be unpleasant for the other man. All in all, they're both in more danger from the battle itself that the blessing." I paused here, reciting the poem describing the effects of the blessing to myself. As I went along, I realized that one of the verses had changed from what I had recited the earlier evening. "Sakura, I may have been a bit mistaken with that last bit of information…"

"Please, stop scaring me unnecessarily, Nashi! What's wrong?"

"Umm, I remembered a verse of the description for this blessing incorrectly. I knew that there was an exception for Hosts, but…I got it wrong earlier."

I could tell that this only added to Sakura's stress. "What do you mean by that, Nashi?"

"I mean that the basic rules of selecting the price disappear when one of the three individuals involved is a Host. In that case…well, let's just say that the uncertainty fades, and becomes rather…definite."

"Please, Nashi, not 'let's just say.' What will happen?"

"I'm afraid that, if I don't get right in there after Naruto triggers the memory, he will be the one to die—and the demon that he holds will be released."

* * *

AN: Please don't kill me! (hides and cowers in fear in a corner) If you want to know what's going to happen next, review! When I get five new reviews, I'll finish the story, I promise. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until February 24th.


	5. A Memory and a Prayer

AN: Thanks so much again to my reviewers and subscribers; it means a lot to me that you take the time to be kind. Thanks especially to **xiahans** and **Citrus Sunscreen** for being the only two people to review chapter so far!

Again, I hope that this is a well-written chapter; please tell me what you think! This is the last chapter! Aww, it makes me so sad to have to say this…Well, I hope that you've enjoyed, and read through this far!

Added bonus: I've posted a mini-contest in the Author's Note at the bottom. Read on for details.

Disclaimer: I am not Kishimoto Masashi, and as such I do not own any of the characters or other ideas contained herein. I can only lay claim to Nashi (my OC) and this plot.

Thanks for reading everyone, I hope you enjoy it. —CF

Chapter 5: A Memory and a Prayer

"What!? How could you mess up something like that?"

"I know it's bad, but it could be worse. I know a blessing that can change things a little; as soon as Naruto does whatever it is—odds are you'll know because Sasuke's glow will change—I will need you to get me out there as soon as you can. I'm going to start working on a feat that will transfer his fate to me. That way, he won't die, and the demon won't get loose.

"I'll need you to monitor Naruto's pulse though—if it goes fifteen seconds without beating, you need to tell me so I can switch the blessing to one that will move the Nine-Tails into Sasuke.

"Either way, the outlook for me isn't very good, but I will die much more slowly than Naruto would. It's what has to be done to stop the beast from getting loose again. Do you understand? Getting me out there is first, watching Naruto's pulse is next. Although…when your sensei gets there, ask him for me whether Sasuke or you would be the better alternate host; okay?"

"Fine. Oh, I hope that this all goes well…"

Determined to get her mind off the dire situation for a moment, I changed the topic slightly. "Say, how is the fight going?"

Sakura was a little calmer now, but she was still on edge. "Naruto keeps trying to get closer to Sasuke. They're still going back and forth about evenly, but the gap is closing slowly; they've actually been hand-to-hand once or twice now. Naruto's starting to get frustrated at something—maybe it's that he hasn't been able to get close enough yet? Oh they're close again, and Naruto seems to be leaning his head in toward Sasuke. I wonder what he's trying to—"

She cut off there for a moment, and then let out a slight shriek.

"Oh-my-god-Naruto-what-are-you-DOING?" She all-but-shouted this in one breath, audibly shocked at what had just happened.

"Tell me, Sakura, has Sasuke's glow changed in intensity or color?"

"It's red now…oh my god, I still can't believe what I'm seeing…"

I gave a slight chuckle. "Start getting me out there; I need to work the blessing. What did Naruto do?"

She spoke as she pulled me by the wrist. "He kissed Sasuke full on the mouth…"

I laughed more loudly this time. "Za, I don't suppose that you know what that's about, do you?"

"Our first day out of the academy, Naruto was staring Sasuke down when someone bumped into Naruto and knocked him onto Sasuke, making them kiss. Oh! They both just fainted!"

"Good, leave Sasuke there for a moment. Judging by the change in the glow that you described, the blessing worked…Hurry, Sakura, I need to work on Naruto."

We soon stood over the young man who was now unconscious next to his regained friend. I reminded Sakura to watch Naruto's pulse as I began to work my blessing. After a few moments, I heard the sensei approach.

"What's going on, Nashi? Is something wrong?"

"Sensei, he wanted me to ask you…if something goes wrong, would Sasuke or I be the better new host for the Nine-Tailed Fox?"

"Why does he need to know that? Shouldn't it take over for Naruto as the price, in that case?"

"Nashi said that he remembered the line incorrectly. If he's not careful, it may get out again…which of us do you think would be better?"

There was a pause, in which the only sound that I could hear was my own muttering of the blessing that would kill me. After some consideration, Hatake finally spoke again.

"Sasuke. The fox would be more apt to adjust to him, I think."

I nodded, understanding. There was another tense moment, in which I began to speak more quickly, hoping to finish the blessing on time. Five minutes passed since I had started, and the words I knew were beginning to wrap up.

"Nashi, it just took ten seconds for Naruto's heart to beat."

I nodded and went faster. In the back of my mind, a little voice cheered. _Come on Naruto, hold on! Just a minute more!_

I let out the last words of the blessing, feeling the pain in my chest redouble. I half-smiled, half-cringed at this, knowing that the success of my blessing was bittersweet. Moments later, I could hear sounds that I recognized as an unconscious person coming to—Naruto recovered much more quickly than I had expected.

"Did it work? Why's Sasuke on the ground? Is something wrong, Nashi?"

Lowering myself to his level, I spoke.

"Calm down, my child. He's fine. When he comes to, which should be very soon, he will be the Sasuke that you remember and long for."

My young relative sniffed a little, and spoke. "How do you know?"

"I base it off what Sakura told me of the battle. Things should be fine now; you have your friend and ally back." I gave a soft smile at this, and moments later, the body on the ground began to groan.

"What…what happened?"

"Oh good, you're awake."

"Who…I think I've heard that voice before…"

"We only met once, on the road. I introduced myself as Nashi of the many tribes. How are you feeling, Sasuke?"

"Tired and disoriented. Is that…is that Naruto?"

"In the flesh," I answered, pushing my short-term pupil closer to the semiconscious man.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke never got an answer to that question, however, as it seemed his old friend grabbed him and hugged him tightly.

"You're going to suffocate me, dobe!" I could tell by the change of Naruto's laugh at that point that this was a good thing to hear.

"It's good to have you back, teme." I heard him let the other man go, helping him sit up properly.

"Why does my head hurt like that?"

"That's probably just a side effect of the blessing."

"What's that?"

"Do you remember, when we went our separate ways, how I put a little blessing on you for good luck?"

"Somewhat…"

"Well, it turns out that the blessing was one used to affect your memory. I made it really strong, so you may have a headache for a little while."

"What?"

"Never mind, it's too complicated for you right now. Come on, try to stand up." I found particular irony in this request, as at that moment I felt my legs give out, and I had to lower myself to a sitting, rather than squatting position. I felt my head reel and my breathing become a little harder.

"Is something wrong, Nashi?"

"An unbearable pain in my chest. I started to feel it just as Naruto started the reenactment. I must say, my child—I didn't expect Sakura to tell me _that_ at any time." I chuckled weakly. "But, if it works…" Becoming weaker, I leaned back on my elbows. "It's too bad that such a great deed must come at such a steep price."

"What do you mean, Nashi?" There was genuine concern in my pupil's voice.

"I mean, there's a reason that I didn't teach you the blessing that I used for this; it calls a human life as the price for its outcome. Well, it seems that I'm getting weaker. When you get the time, explain to Sasuke what I told you all by that fire.

"You know, this whole thing is a peculiar mess…A man like myself, a member of more than one tribe, wanders into the world and brings his clans together. How often do you hear about that?"

"What do you mean?" Everyone but Hatake spoke simultaneously.

"I mean…Sasuke, what does this look like to you?" I pulled my jacket open, revealing the large tattoo on my chest that I had yet to show anyone of the group present.

"It's the spiral that Naruto always wears…" I could hear the realization in his voice at the end. "You're an Uzumaki, aren't you?"

"I am." I closed my jacket and turned my face toward Naruto. "My child, what do these resemble to you?" I used my weakening fingers to pull open my defunct eyes.

"They're red with three small black spirals…are those Mangekyō Sharingan?

"They are. I assume you know the implications…?"

"Are you an Uchiha?"

"I am. Of course, I had already told each of you two about my involvement in his own clan, but…it was a source of shame, amongst those of my village, to be of mixed origins, so I was shunned. My father was an Uchiha, my mother an Uzumaki. After my father died, my mother remarried and soon gave birth to my sister, Kushina, who eventually became Naruto's mother. Does that answer all the questions?"

"Yes." They spoke simultaneously.

"Those are my only two tribes, yet I was still called Nashi of the _many_ tribes. It was a pain, but still, I lived with it."

At this, I lay onto my back, preparing myself for the inevitable. I breathed a little, feeling my lungs become reluctant to work. Still, I felt no more pain.

I knew that there was still some mystery to the whole thing, but Sakura knew…I would have her tell the others, soon enough. Remembering something from my home, I relaxed and thought about how to properly set up my own living funeral.

"Sakura, you're a medic-nin, is that right? Come and stay just above my head. Yes, like that." I paused, thinking about whom to put where. "Naruto, why don't you take the spot at my left hand—_my_ left, not yours. Sharingan, at my feet, if you could, and Sasuke at my right." I sighed deeply, feeling my breath become heavier, harder to draw, with each one that I took. "Naruto, if you can remember this, use it in you own final moments. It is the Stillness Prayer, used by the people of our ancestry for some time as a funeral rite. I may not have my actual family here, but you three shall work as symbols." Naruto, as my clansman, was closest to a brother; Sasuke, the one affected so greatly by my blessing, was the best approximation to an actual son who was present. That left Hatake, almost twenty years my junior, as the father-figure.

"Now, boys, join your left hands over my heart, about a foot above my chest." When I heard them all clasp, I grabbed the lump of fingers and adjusted its position a little. I sighed again. "Sakura, if you could cover one side of my head with each of your hands." She complied, and I began to speak in the whirlpool tongue.

I grabbed Naruto's wrist with my left hand and squeezed it, saying, "Yes, my brother, I know what I am doing."

I released him and then took Sasuke similarly. "Yes, my son, I know where I am going."

Both of my hands now moved to the sensei's wrist. "Yes, my father, I know where I have been."

I relinquished my grip and lifted my hands toward the sky, continuing the ancient incantation. "Brother, son, and father, forgive this old man his sins, and pray that he be smiled upon by him, or her, or it, or them from whom it _truly_ matters. May the same fortunate grace be given to you all your life, and may you have the futures that you seek."

My breathing became extremely labored at this point. I lowered my hands to my sides again and returned to speaking so that everyone could understand me. As the first words came from my mouth, I felt it begin to rain.

"If you could keep your hands where they are—it shouldn't be too much longer. Naruto, did you catch all of that?"

"Yes, Nashi. Was that…"

"As I said, it's an ancient prayer. It's supposed to guide me to a pleasant Afterlife…" I stopped, struggling to breathe.

"Nashi…thank you. Thank you for having the stroke of genius that made you give me that blessing, and…thank you for this willingness, to die for someone like me."

"Za, don't give me that, Sasuke. I wasn't headed anywhere in life, and I could tell that you were a dangerous man, so I decided that a wandering beggar wasn't a bad price to pay for the conversion of one wicked man into a good one. Besides, my family's lost to me, so no one will miss me more, now. I'm just glad that it was easy as it was for Naruto to trigger the blessing. Sakura…" I mumbled after a brief pause.

"Nashi…what is it?"

"Tell them what I told you, while you were watching the battle, once I'm gone. I'm sure that I'm not as much the hero as they want to think that I am." The rain got a little harder, and I began to feel sleepy. I took a soft, difficult breath in.

"Now, I must rest."

The End

AN: Oh, I'm going to cry now…*sniff*…it's so sad, and I wrote it over a month ago!

Anyway, I'm glad for every reader who makes it this far, and I'm offering a little contest to anyone who has been reading the story for some time: I have recently added a new paragraph to my first chapter. The first three people who can send me a copy of that paragraph in a PM (If I get one in a review, I will call off the contest) will each get two things:

1) A one-shot fic dedicated to them, according to some prompt that they give me. (Note that I do reserve the right to refuse to write certain things.)

2) The right to consult on ideas for my next multi-chapter fic. This will include me asking you a few questions about possible ideas/plots/etc.

So, best of luck to all those interested, and happy reading!


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